Last year I knew I wanted to take freelancing as a career more seriously. Not for just work on the side or for extra cash, but to actually call myself a freelance graphic designer and make a living off it. I knew I had to think big. Make a real business out of what I wanted to do: design! So here’s how I took design from a hobby to a full-time profession: Established a new (consistent) look I use “look”

Unless you went to business school or graduated with a degree in business, chances are you weren’t taught how to write text that will bring in clients. This is typical with technical and creative arts, and is one of the main areas in which freelancers fall down. You know very well how to do the production work, but not so much on the marketing side. So how do you communicate effectively to clients to not only help them understand what

For a long time now it’s been evident that soon technology will rule the world (if it doesn’t already). It seems as though every day surprising amounts of new electronic gadgets are introduced, and the good old pen and paper get forgotten in the attic to collect cobwebs and mold. This article will address why you should turn off your laptop, put away your tablet, and go back to the basics during your design process, as well as provide some

A hot topic among blogging designers is whether or not to create custom blog post designs. If you are unfamiliar with the concept behind custom blog post designs, check out HeartDirected.com, a recent gallery site started by DesignInformer.com‘s Jad Limcaco. Custom designed blog posts can be a great addition to any blog, but I also started thinking the other day about a few setbacks that custom post designs might pose for blogging designers. Below I have compiled a few Pros

Due to the increasing popularity of usability design and user experience design articles that focus on the internet and web design, you might not be aware that user experience design has been around a lot longer than the internet has. This article will discuss the effects that user-experience design has specifically in print design. It is my firm belief that user-experience design is important in any design setting and your future success in the design industry depends on how well

The research is over. The sketching is finished. Bad ideas now fill your waste basket and the best ideas have made it to the computer screen. After all the hard work, your logos are finally ready to present to the client. But how can you be sure they will be accepted and appreciated by the client? Below are some tips on presenting your logo comps to the client. Follow these rules and your logo proofing is bound to be a

For a long time now, I have been following thedieline.com: one of the best resources for package design found on the web. If you haven’t checked out their blog or you don’t follow them on twitter, you definitely should. Below is a collection of some of the many designs I have really enjoyed and admired. All the images found in this post are courtesy of The Die Line. After looking over them, be sure to let us know which one

“What problems do graphic designers solve?” That was a recent question that I got from a reader in response to an article here on Graphic Design Blender. He continues his question by adding, “If you’re at an airport will you be more likely to find your terminal if the signs are designed with Helvetica, than if they were designed with Papyrus? Isn’t the only difference that one looks nicer than the other?” This post answers the above questions. Does graphic

Most external links on this site are affiliate links. But we never recommend services or products we haven't personally used and loved. You can read more about our affiliate links here.

What’s going on here?

For years, Graphic Design Blender has been the #1 place freelancers and designers come for tips on building their business. We blog about working with clients, making more money, and living a life you love as a freelancer or entrepreneur.

To stay updated on the latest from GDB, subscribe for free via email (we'll even throw in a free copy of our ebook 10 Mistakes Designers Make with Clients as our way of saying "thank you.")

If you're new here, we've compiled a list of our favorite and most helpful posts. Give them a try by clicking here.